Support for drying kitchen bowl



Jan. 22, 1952 G. w, N' L 2,583,475

SUPPORT FOR DRYING KITCHEN BOWL COVERS Filed 00% 24, 1949 F a 5 E s INVENTOR'" GEORGE w CRANDALL ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 22, 1952 OFFICE SUPPORT FOR DRYING KITCHEN BOWL OVERS George Wells Crandall, Elmira, N. Y.

Application October 24, 1949, Serial No. 123,294

1 Claim; (01. 248-204) The present invention relates to a simple household device useful in supporting covers for kitchen bowls and other containers after said covers have been washed and during the drying of said covers.

The type of covers which I have in mind are well-known to housewives. They are usually made of a transparent plastic material and are of bonnet-like shape with an opening on one side which is smaller than the largest diameter of the interior of the cover, this opening usually being surrounded by an integral elastic cord which tends to draw together and grip the sides of the bowl below the lip thereof. These covers are of various sizes when used in the kitchen, and it is customary to have a series of such covers which may vary in size in order to close and protect both large and small bowls or containers of food which are placed in a refrigerator. It is well-known that these covers become soiled by the food and by condensation in the refrigerator, and it is necessary to frequently wash them. In order to provide for the convenient drying of these covers when washed, and for their convenient availability for use when food is being returned to the refrigerator after a meal, I have provided the novel and simple type of support and drier described herein.

In the drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of myinvention:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the supporting device looking toward the flat kitchen wall or cabinet wall on which the device is intended to be mounted;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view at right angles to that of Figure 1 showing the device in its expanded condition with a plurality of how] covers supported on the device while drying;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the device in its collapsed condition in which it may be placed when not in use or after the washed 'covershave dried; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the flat base or the device.

Referring to these drawings, the device consists of two main elements, the base B and the spring S.

The base may be made of any light and cheap material such as metal or plastic, and it comprises a flat portion In having one straight wall I2 and an opposite outwardly diverging wall H. The base has a pair of openings l6 therein for use in securing the base to the wall W, as by means of ordinary screws l8.

On one angularly disposed end of the plate,

there is an outwardly rolled bead 20, and a similar outwardly rolled bead 22 is formed along the adjacent portion of the side edge 12 of the plate.

Referring to Figure 1, the inner end of the spring is bent obliquely as at 24 so that the spring has inner terminal portions which pass through cylindrical openings formed by the beads 20 and 22, and these beads may be tightly rolled over the inner terminal portions of the spring to firmly secure the latter to the base.

As is best shown in Figure 1, the spring is made up in a spiral formation so that it consists of an open cone formed of at least four complete loops. Stated otherwise; the spring has a series of convolutions of progressively decreasing diameter leading toward the outer terminal end of the spring, the latter being bent laterally as at 26 to form the straight end 28 which is at the apex of the cone formed by the spring. The wire used for the spring may be of gauge or larger and the formation is such that the axial length or the cone is approximately equal to the radius of the base of the cone formed by the spring. The gauge of the wire and the design of the spring should be such as viewed in Figure 2 that the cone will maintain its stability when carrying the bowl covers and will not bend downwardly under its own weight or under the weight of the covers, it being understood that the device is intended to be supported on a vertical wall.

At the end of the base opposite to the beads 20 and 22, there is an outwardly bent tongue 30 having a reversely bent lip 32 which is spaced from the main portion I0 of the plate. As viewed in Figure 1, the lip 32 is spaced slightly from the outer terminal end 28 of the spring, so that when the spring is compressed, as shown in Figure 3, the end 28 moves inwardly through the spring and may be sprung over and beneath the lip 32 to maintain the spring in its flattened or collapsed condition.

In Figure 2, the device is shown supporting two bowl covers while they are drying, but it will be understood that one or more additional bowl covers may be applied to the device by pulling them over the covers shown in position in Figure 2 and over the next inner convolution of the spring. In Figure 2, the first or smallest cover C1 has been pulled over the outer convolution of the spring adjacent to the inner terminal end 28. and the second or larger cover 02 has been stretched at its elastic opening 34 and pulled over the cover C1 as well as over the next convolution of the spring which is generally indicated at 38. If another larger bowl cover is to be dried, it would be pulled over the two covers already in place, as shown in Figure 2, and stretched over the next convolution 40 of the spring. 7

With the arrangement disclosed, while a nest of covers may be supported, one pulled over the other, the elastic openings of the covers are not permitted to close but are maintained in a partially open condition by the spring wire extending through the openings, as indicated'at 4-2 in Figure 2, whereby desirable ventilation of the interior of the covers is insured while they are drying. When the covers have dried', the spring aosarrs may be compressed as shown in Figure 3, thus v storing the dried covers in a compact condition against the wall, it being evident-that even with a plurality of covers on the support; the outer terminal end 28 of the spring can be pushed inwardly successively through the openings of the covers until it latches over the lip 32. Of course, the device canbe latched in its collapsed condition; out of the way, when no bowl covers are being supported. Itrwill be understood that. the spring cone may .be designed of any size depending upon the covers to be usedwith it; The drawings disclose a design in which the cone is approximately four inches in diameter at the .base andof height of approximately two and one-half inches.

Iclaim: a a y 7 b A wall support for drying kitchen bowl covers .and the like comprising a flat base plate having .means thereon for attaching the same in a verti- -cal position upona vertical wall and a conicallywards-the'centerof thebase of the: cone defined by'sai'd spring; said base plate having an outwardly turned edge to grip and secure the bent inner end of said spring and a second outwardly turned-edge togrip and ecure the portion of said spring adjacent its bent inner end, said base plate having a latching portion extending outwardly therefiom at the center of the base of the cone defined by said spring, the free outer end of said spring being bent to form a cooperating latching portion whereby said spring may be retained in a completely flattened condition against said base plate. l

GEORGE CRANDALL; ,7

REFERENGESCITED v The following references are of record intlie file of this patent; I turret STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 380,651 Fowler et al. Apri3, 1883 569,256 Van Cise O'ct.13,. 1896 1,710,478 Hoppi n Apr. 23; 1929 

